MUMBAI: The Thomson Foundation for Film and TV Heritage with support from the National Film Archive of India (NFAI), the French institution 'La Cinémathèque française' and the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), has partnered this year with International Film Festival of India to launch 'IFFI Goa Film Treasures' which is a classics section entirely dedicated to international film heritage.

The section includes special film programming and professional workshops. This new cinema section, introduced at the 38th International Film Festival of India will continue till 1 December.

Earlier this year, the Thomson Foundation had gathered worldwide competencies from India, France and the USA to set up an educational program for film students from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune.

Thomson Foundation MD Severine Wemaere said: " Films are a vivid art of representation, a tremendous source of inspiration and have a mighty effect on the mind and imagination, but sadly, they are at risk of loss and disappearance. By participating in 'IFFI Goa Film Treasures', the Thomson Foundation aims to reach out to a larger population of people to emphasize the importance of film heritage."

NFAI director Sasidharan said, "The National Film Archive of India aims to safeguard the heritage of Indian cinema for posterity. The NFAI and Thomson Foundation association, has come to represent an endeavour to sensitize and familiarize people towards the importance of film preservation and heritage. We firmly believe that our shared commitments would leverage from the International Film Festival's widespread appeal to a large population of people across the globe and in return strengthen the platform provided by the festival to international cinema. "

'IFFI Goa Film Treasures' has designed its movie programming on a common theme: 'Freedom'. The section has completed the screening of Jean Renoir's The Grand Illusion and Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times. It would be hosting other renowned classics like Jaques Becker's The Hole, Ernst Lubitsch's To be or not to be and Kenzi Misogichi's The Legend of Bailiff Sansho in the days to come. This special section has also hosted their first Workshop, 'Creating from scratch'.

There are two more workshops lined up, 'Catching the visible, tracking the invisible' and 'There is no such thing as an old film'. These workshops will include debates with international cinema personalities like actors, filmmakers, producers and writers.